The osprey, often referred to as "fish hawk," is an iconic bird that requires a clean environment and abundant food source—primarily menhaden and other fish. CBF's Osprey Tracking Project allows students and teachers to track birds—ones they have seen during field experiences at CBF's Port Isobel Island or Arthur Sherwood education centers—from their home and classroom computers.

Bird-Handling Disclaimer: The people you see handling these birds are highly trained professionals and possess the permits required to do so. CBF does not encourage anyone to handle wild osprey or wild birds of any kind.

Our map is loading...Please be patient...these birds are very active so it may take a minute or so to download all their travel data........still no map? Click here to reload

08.27.16 - Temperatures are still in the 80s here but the birds know fall is on the way. Hackett started south today.

05.03.16 - A pair of osprey nesting on Holly Beach Farm on Whitehall Bay have joined our local tracking team.

04.22.16 - It has been decided to leave Quin alone and not stress him with recapture to remove the transmitter. Thanks for the memories, Quin!

04.13.16 - Update on Quin. His transmitter seems to be on the blink, as he has been spotted on his nest! The tracking team is deciding whether to remove the transmitter or replace it. We'll let you know what's decided.

03.24.16 - Quin has reached Florida. He seems to be taking the trip leisurely compared with Nick.

03.23.16 - Quin is finally heading north.

03.21.16 - Landfall Florida! Nick's really making time. How long do you think it will take him to get home to Tangier?

03.19.16 - Nick is heading out over the Caribbean and heading north!

03.15.16 - Quin has finally appeared in Cuba.

03.04.16 - The weather is warming up, osprey sightings are popping up around the Bay, and we expect to see the boys heading north soon. Quin is off the map again this winter. We expect he's wintering in Cuba.

09.19.15 - Nick is on his way south

06.24.15 - Osprey chicks are starting to hatch. Some are about a week old now.

03.24.15 - We missed his initial travels but Quin has re-appeared in Florida. Looks as if he was wintering in Cuba. Crabby started his trek home about a week ago and has made it to Curacao. Bets on how long it takes him to reach Maryland?

03.16.15 - Well, we have four osprey settling in at the Merrill Center in Annapolis, but it looks like Nick, Woody, and Crabby got the word about our long winter and have decided to stay down south a bit longer. No sign of Quin, but it's quite likely he's just out of cell tower range.

01.04.15 - Nick is back! Due to technical difficulties, it appeared he had fallen off the map. Now we're again collecting data on his location.

10.24.14 - Nick seems to be off the radar. We are all hoping for the best.

HOW TO USE THIS MAP

This map automatically zooms to a level that will show all of the data points currently available for the bird's travels. As the bird flies farther the territory shown will increase.

About the Data: GSM data is recorded every few minutes. To download a spreadsheet of the GSM data, use the links in the map key.

Navigate: Click and drag the map to pan or use the arrow toggle in the upper left corner.

Zoom: Drag the zoom slider up or down to zoom in or out incrementally. Double-click a location to zoom in on that location.

Layers: Select the Map or Satellite layer to change the view. When you mouse over the Satellite button an option will appear to show Labels (location and road names).

To view data for a particular bird:

Find the colored trail associated with the bird you want to follow.

To view data:

Click on the colored track. You will see a black-outlined circle appear at the closest location with recorded data.

Click on the circle for an information bubble showing the bird's name, date, time, and latitude and longitude recorded at that time. You will also see the date change in the calendar at the top center of the map.

Click and drag the circle to see data for other locations on the trail.

As a rule of thumb, use the map to gain a general understanding of the bird's activities, and download the GSM data for specifics.

Video

MEET NICK

Nick

About Nick: We caught Nick in the nick of time (hence, the name), just as our tagging team was headed off the island for the day. Nick returned to his nest just as they were preparing to leave.

Hackett and Holly

Location: Holly Beach Farm, Whitehall Bay, Maryland

CBF Education Center: Arthur Sherwood

About Hackett and Holly: Holly is named for the abundance of holly trees near her nest and Hackett refers to the peninsula that defines their favorite place to rest when they are not on their nest. Hackett Point is also close to a large oyster reef that attracts many fish, Holly's favorite food! This is the first pair of birds from the same nest that we have tracked. Does a male travel to the same places as the female? Tune in and see...

Special thanks to the team at Microwave Telemetry, Inc. and for the technical support provided by Rob Bierregaard PhD and Bryan Watts PhD, without whom this program would not be possible.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

CBF's Osprey Tracking project started when conservation-minded Microwave Telemetry, Inc. (MTI) offered their services to support our education programs. The company manufactures devices researchers use to track avian and marine species. We first field tested one of the portable tracking units when two CBF staffers circumnavigated the Chesapeake Bay watershed by bike. After a few more technological advances, it was possible to create this site, where students and teachers can follow the daily feeding patterns and seasonal migrations of osprey.

After migrating to Central and South America for the winter months, ospreys return to the same nest sites on creeks, rivers, and shorelines of the Chesapeake Bay every year. Once they arrive they may travel many miles a day in search of supplies for their nest and fish for their young. With the Osprey Tracking Program, we can now track birds that CBF field program participants see while they are boating, canoeing, or exploring from our Meredith Creek location and the Port Isobel Island Education Center.

The criteria for choosing the birds were that they reside in an accessible nest and that the nest be close to student field programs operated daily by CBF. The location was critical so that students on field experiences could see the birds in the wild, discuss their habits, and then follow them online once back in the classroom. Teachers can use the maps to integrate technology with biological concepts such as migration, habitat, and food sources and to infuse STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) principles such as communication and collaboration into group activities. A lesson plan about ospreys provides teachers with further classroom material.

The Osprey Tracking Program provides a great tool students can use to stay connected with the Chesapeake Bay long after their amazing day in the field with CBF.

Photos from left: The transmitter is highlighted on this recently tagged osprey; Rob Bierregaard releases one of the osprey. CBF's Port Isobel Island education center can be seen in the background. Photos by John Rodenhausen/CBF Staff

Teachers

Whether Holly flew over the boat at Meredith Creek or you saw Nick fishing while you were on the dock at Port Isobel, you are hooked. These birds have captured your interest and you want to learn more. Now that you're back in the classroom, osprey are an ideal species to study as a follow-up to a CBF field experience since they depend on a healthy Bay watershed. Their habitat, food, and overall safety depend on our Bay-friendly restoration efforts.

Note: All links will open in a new browser window.

Osprey Lesson PlanCBF has developed a lesson plan that specifically ties osprey migration to this Osprey Tracking Program. Show your students how this local, iconic bird and their migration patterns can teach us patterns, math, cultural history, chemistry (the persistence of DDT), and more. Download (PDF)

The Return of the Fish HawkThe Public Service Company of New Hampshire, Audubon Society of New Hampshire, and the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department also created an osprey curriculum piece. Download (PDF)

FieldScopeCBF encourages teachers to include lessons about how land use changes the health of your local waterways. In order to connect the osprey you saw in the field with standards-based material in the classroom, introduce your students to National Geographic's FieldScope so they can map and calculate pervious/impervious surfaces, watershed area, and land use. Go to web page

Ospreys Flyways ProjectBe part of an international effort to track osprey migrations. Schools across the globe are part of the Ospreys Flyways Project and participating in World Osprey Week in March 2014. Go to website

NOAA Chesapeake Bay Buoy SystemTie the osprey migration data to water quality data from NOAA's Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System. Access data from multiple points in the Chesapeake to see how water quality and weather affect the birds' feeding and flight patterns. Go to website

Osprey Feel the HeatThe migratory schedule of osprey is being altered by a new environmental problem: climate change. There are an increasing number of reports of osprey overwintering in the Bay, instead of migrating south to Brazil. Article published in the Spring 2012 issue of CBF's Save the Bay magazine. WebpageMagazine

Students

Whether Holly flew over the boat at Meredith Creek or you saw Nick fishing while you were on the dock at Port Isobel, you are hooked. This bird has captured your interest and you want to learn more. Now that you're back in the classroom, CBF offers data that you can use for research papers, action project ideas to protect osprey habitat, and fun ways to communicate with others about ospreys around the world.

Note: All links will open in a new browser window.

Hear an Osprey Call

CBF Student WavePreserve and restore the streams and rivers that run through the Bay watershed. These are the lifelines for fish that our osprey feed on during their spring and summer stay with us. CBF's Student Wave website has videos that show you how to do it step-by-step. cbf.org/StudentWave

Build an Osprey TowerCheck out these guides to build your own osprey tower. Please note that you must have permission to put up an osprey tower on private property. (see disclaimer, CBF is not encouraging students to capture and tag osprey) photo attached and below. Go to web page

Ospreys Flyways ProjectBe part of an international effort to track osprey migrations. Schools across the globe are part of the Ospreys Flyways Project and participating in World Osprey Week in March 2014. Go to website

NOAA Chesapeake Bay Buoy SystemTie the osprey migration data to water quality data from NOAA's Chesapeake Bay Interpretive Buoy System. Access data from multiple points in the Chesapeake to see how water quality and weather affect the birds' feeding and flight patterns. Go to website

Osprey Feel the HeatThe migratory schedule of osprey is being altered by a new environmental problem: climate change. There are an increasing number of reports of osprey overwintering in the Bay, instead of migrating south to Brazil. Article published in the Spring 2012 issue of CBF's Save the Bay magazine. WebpageMagazine